A Pragmatic Analysis of Language Use and Communicative Acts in Ultra Milk’s Ramadan Advertisement

Abstract

This study performs a pragmatic analysis of the language strategies and communicative acts employed in Ultra Milk's Ramadan advertisement, titled "Makin Ultra Jalani Puasa" ("Be More Ultra in Fasting"). Utilizing a qualitative descriptive approach, the research offers an in-depth examination of the persuasive function achieved through the interaction of verbal and non-verbal elements. Primary data were transcribed from the 1-minute and 52-second advertisement broadcast on Ultra Milk’s official YouTube channel. The data analysis focused on documentary content, specifically applying frameworks from pragmatics (e.g., Yule's speech acts and Relevance Theory) to identify linguistic features such as politeness strategies, mitigation techniques, metaphors, and narrative construction. The findings reveal that the advertisement strategically deploys communicative acts like motivational directives and emotional affirmations through elements of family togetherness and religious alignment. Pragmatic strategies, including the use of softening phrases and culturally resonant motivational expressions, effectively create emotional closeness, thereby reinforcing persuasive communication. The study concludes that the successful adaptation of linguistic and pragmatic strategies to the deeply embedded social and religious context of Ramadan significantly enhances advertising effectiveness and resonance. This research contributes a culturally sensitive model for marketing communication, highlighting the critical role of pragmatic competence in achieving emotional engagement within Indonesia’s socio-cultural landscape.